Shutterstock; Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider
There's a big difference between the glossy photos and the reality.
- This past March, I left New York to
travel around the world as Business Insider's International Correspondent. Over the course of more than six months, I have so far visited 12 countries. - While I've had some epic adventures, not everything lived up to the hype. Some bucket-list attractions were overpriced, uninspiring, overcrowded, or just plain boring.
- Among the offending attractions: the "most dangerous hike in the world" in China, the Marina Bay Sands mega-hotel featured in 'Crazy Rich Asians,' and the Greek isle of Mykonos.
- I thought it might be helpful to share which of my recent adventures weren't worth the trouble.
- If you're looking for the things you should do, I have a list of those, too.
Let's be honest: Some things simply do not live up to the hype.
There's a temptation when going on a big trip abroad to come back singing the praises of everything you did and saw, whether it's a mediocre all-inclusive island resort or an adrenaline-pumping off-road trip through the desert.
But that muddies the waters. Sometimes, you get to a place, attraction, or activity only to find it overpriced, uninspiring, overcrowded, or just plain boring. If you don't call that out, how do you know some experience you've had really was life-changing?
When I left to travel as Business Insider's International Correspondent this past March, I knew there would be amazing adventures along the way. I also knew there would be more than a few duds. Among them: the "most dangerous hike in the world" in China, the Marina Bay Sands mega-hotel featured in 'Crazy Rich Asians,' and the Greek isle of Mykonos.
With 12 countries and six months checked off on the trip so far, I decided it was time to pinpoint my least favorite adventure. Perhaps it'll help you re-evaluate an upcoming trip, adjust your expectations for a bucket-list location, or feel less pressure to go see or do that thing that everyone is telling you that you must do.
Here's they are: